Do I need Vision Acquisition Software to capture images with a third party camera?

[murchak]

Hi, 
I have LabVIEW 2011 SP1 development suite. I have been pulled into a project that requires capturing images using a camera (Prime 95B from Photometrics). The camera is connected to the PC via USB3 cable.

1. Do I need Vision Acquisition Software? Which version?

2. Will this be free or do I need a license?

3. Do I need a specific LabVIEW driver from Photometrics for this camera or will NI Vision Acquisition Software recognize the camera and connect to it, so I could capture the images?

[kartiknattar]

You need to install Vision development module. It will be a paid license.If it is a usb3 camera then it will be detected in labview.

[Bob_Schor]

I believe that the previous responder is incorrect -- the Camera drivers, IMAQ and IMAQdx, are installed from the Vision Acquisition Software choice, formerly found on the Devices DVDs (for many years the largest "collection" of software NI shipped, the first DVD when the other disks were CDs, the first to span two DVDs).  I'm not really certain about licensing, but I think that the driver does require an additional license, one that is included for the Development PC when you purchase the development software, but if you want to install the driver on a PC for a customer, you may need to purchase an additional license.  Better check with NI.

To answer your other question, IMAQdx can (usually) "see" and work with cameras that connect via TCP/IP or USB and are compliant with the GenICam standard (many are).  It is "interesting" to plug such a camera into a PC, fire up MAX, and have it "see" the camera.  To get at all of the manufacturer's "features", however, can be daunting (particularly if the manufacturer-supplied Software doesn't even have "hooks" into everything, but starts telling you how to address the Control and Status Registers in the camera ...).

Bob Schor

[PiDi]

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@murchak wrote:

Hi, 
I have LabVIEW 2011 SP1 development suite. I have been pulled into a project that requires capturing images using a camera (Prime 95B from Photometrics). The camera is connected to the PC via USB3 cable.

1. Do I need Vision Acquisition Software? Which version?

2. Will this be free or do I need a license?

3. Do I need a specific LabVIEW driver from Photometrics for this camera or will NI Vision Acquisition Software recognize the camera and connect to it, so I could capture the images?

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3. NI Vision Acquisition Software supports USB3 Vision standard (NI-IMAQdx driver to be specific, see here: https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/compatibility/25/ni-vision-driver-and-vision-acquisition... ). I don't see any indication in docs that your Prime 95B is compatible with this standard. However, they state that they support "National Instruments LabView" [sic], so you might have a chance.

2. See here: https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/supplemental/18/licensing-national-instruments-vision-so... . Basically: for acquisition (no image processing) you need Vision Acquisition Software. I'm pretty sure you should have it included in your development suite, as well as be able to activate it with your license key. However, if you need to deploy this software to another machine, you'll need to buy additional license (here: https://www.ni.com/en-us/shop/product/vision-acquisition-software.html ). Without it you'll have 30 days trial and the acquisition will stop working afterwards (you'll get error from acquisition VIs about invalid license).

1. For LabVIEW 2011 SP1 this would be May-2012 version (https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/compatibility/17/vision-acquisition-software-and-labview...)

[PalanivelThiruvenkadam]

https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/supplemental/18/licensing-national-instruments-vision-so...

Hope this document will give you an detailed idea on Software Licensing details.

[murchak]

Thanks all for the replies.

It seems that I need to buy Vision Acquisition Software even if I am just acquiring images without any processing. I will try the free trial version and see if it can do what I need.

[CaptainSoy]

Hi Murchak,

Seems that it is a little bit late replying this.

But I am using Prime 95B camera, and facing the LabVIEW problems too.

My Chinese vendor told me that, the company is developing the Prime 95B LabVIEW SDK. The 1st and 2nd version are written with .NET framework, calling DLLs. I want to run it with some other motors and hardwares, but it is difficult to write under .NET framework.

May you write to me to communicate with the camera? Thx!

[rolfk]

Have you downloaded the SDK from here?

Supposedly this will contain documentation about how to access the SDK functions. If it is .Net based you will need to use the LabVIEW .Net functionality to interface to the .Net drivers. After you created a number of VIs to access the .Net functions of the driver you can integrate it with the rest of your application.

[CaptainSoy]

Hi rolfk,

Yes, and the tech support team send me the full .project files, but one more question to be asked about the VIs you mentioned.

I want to insert the steps of motor control between the camera launch / defining parameters and grab images / buffers. Could I only write these parts as subVIs / independent VIs? I am afraid that the interfaces would not be recognized by other functions.

Thanks again for your suggestions,

David / CaptainSoy

[rolfk]

I’m not sure what you are asking here exactly!

You ALWAYS should write subVIs for any functionality that does something that can be isolated. Most beginners tend to write WAY to few subVIs. So use subVIs whenever you are not 100% sure that you can’t!